Hall, Ainsley, House
Historic house in South Carolina. Added to the National Register in 1970, and a National Historic Landmark.
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What it is
The Robert Mills House, also known as Robert Mills Historic House and Park or the Ainsley Hall House, is a historic house museum at 1616 Blanding Street in Columbia, South Carolina. Built in 1823 to a design by Robert Mills, it was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1973 for its architectural significance. The Historic Columbia Foundation owns and operates the home, which has been furnished with decorative arts of the early 19th century, including American Federal, English Regency, and French Empire pieces.
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The record
| Property type | Building |
| Address | 1616 Blanding St., Columbia, SC |
| County | Richland County |
| Listed | Jul 16, 1970 |
| Listed for | Landscape architecture, Education, Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | National |
| Also known as | Robert Mills Historic House and Park |
| Reference number | 70000595 |
| Architect | Robert Mills |
| Type of place | single-family detached home |
| Contributing resources | 1 building, 1 structure |
The nomination form, the document that argues why this place matters, is in the National Archives: Read the nomination ↗
Visiting
| Address | 1616 Blanding St., Columbia, SC |
| Coordinates | 34.0096° N, 81.0290° W · Directions ↗ |
| Also in Columbia | 160 listed places in Columbia → · walking tours → |
| Nearest national park unit | Congaree National Park · 22 miles · on Park Atlas |
| Federal campgrounds nearby | Longleaf Campground 17 miles · Congaree Picnic Shelter 17 miles · Bluff Hike In Camping 17 miles |
Explore
Drawings & photographs
Measured drawings and photographs from the Library of Congress. Public domain. All 1 record ↗
Map
Nearby in Richland County
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Local history books for Columbia
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Guidebooks to historic places in South Carolina
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
When was Hall, Ainsley, House listed on the National Register?
Jul 16, 1970. It is also a National Historic Landmark, the higher of the two designations.
Source: National Park Service
Who designed Hall, Ainsley, House?
Robert Mills.
Source: Wikidata
Can I visit Hall, Ainsley, House?
Yes. Hall, Ainsley, House is recorded as open to the public.
Source: Wikidata
Where is Hall, Ainsley, House?
1616 Blanding St., Columbia, Richland County, South Carolina. The nearest national park unit is Congaree National Park, 22 miles away.
Source: Congaree National Park
What does the Hall, Ainsley, House listing include?
The listing counts 2 contributing resources. Those are 1 building and 1 structure. A contributing resource is a part of the listed property that carries its historic significance.
Source: National Park Service
Are there historic photographs or drawings of Hall, Ainsley, House?
Yes. The Historic American Buildings Survey at the Library of Congress has drawings or photographs of it.
Source: Library of Congress
Where is the nomination form for Hall, Ainsley, House?
The National Archives holds the nomination form, the document that made the case for listing.
Source: National Archives
Are there campgrounds near Hall, Ainsley, House?
Three federal campgrounds are within reach. The closest is Longleaf Campground, 17 miles away. Congaree Picnic Shelter is 17 miles away, and Bluff Hike In Camping is 17 miles away.
Source: Campsite Atlas
Is there cell service at Hall, Ainsley, House?
FCC coverage maps show Verizon 5G, AT&T 5G, and T-Mobile 5G at the listed point. Coverage indoors and behind old masonry is another matter.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
Is there a wildfire near Hall, Ainsley, House right now?
2 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-10-17, nearest Harry Hampton East Csp Rx, 17 miles away.
Source: Map
Sources
Location, type and contributing counts come from the National Park Service's National Register spatial data. Listing dates come from the National Register office's spreadsheet where it carries the listing. Construction date, architect, style, photograph and encyclopedia link come from Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons, matched on reference number 70000595. Nothing here is transcribed by hand. The nomination form and photographs ↗ at NPGallery are the original nomination as filed with the National Park Service, and the form is often the best description of the place. The description under "What it is" is the opening of the Wikipedia article, CC BY-SA. Drawings and photographs are Historic American Buildings Survey records at the Library of Congress, public domain.